Black Beauty (1)

Black Beauty (1)

(1) My early home

The very first place that I can remember was a large plesant meadow.

To start with, I lived on my mother's milk.

As soon as I could eat grass however, she had to go out to work, and came home in the evening.



There were six young colts in the meadow biside me.
We had great fun galloping around although they would sometimes bite and kick.

One day, my mother whinnied to me to come to her.

Then she said, " The colts who live here are very good colts, but they are cart-house colts, and, of course, they have not learned manners."

" I hope you will grow up gentle and good and never learn bad ways. Do your work as well as you can, and never bite or kick, even just in play. "

My mother was a wise horse, and I have never forgotten her advice.

Her name was Duchess, but our master often called her Pet.

(1/25)
少し長いのですが、クラシックの名作black beauty のリ・トールド版です。
全１４章、２５回を予定しています。    

Black Beauty (2)

(2) My Breaking in

As I grew older, I grew handsome.

I had one white foot and a pretty white star on my forehead.
My black coat grew fine and soft.



When I was four years old, Squire Gordon came to look at me.
He seemed to like me, and said, " When he has been broken in he will do very well. "

My master said he would break me in himself so that I would not be frightened or hurt.

Breaking in means to teach a horse to wear a saddle and bridle and to carry someone safely on his back. 

He must also learn to pull a carriage or cart, going fast or slow, just as his driver wishes.

He has to learn never to bite or kick, nor to jump at anything he sees.

Even with a good master like mine it was slow work, but at last it was done.

Next came iron shoes.
That was frightening, but the blacksmith did not hurt me, even when he drove nails through the shoe right into my foot.
My feet seemed stiff and heavy afterwards、but in time I got used to that.

Now that I was ready to leave home, my mother said to me,
" I hope you will fall into good hands, but a horse never know who may buy him, or who may drive him.
Some men are kind and thoughtful, like our master.
Others can be cruel.
Remember, do your best whatever happens and keep up your good name. "

(2/25)
(注：馬の蹄を保護するための蹄鉄(リンク)は蹄に直に釘止めしますが、馬に痛みはありません)  

タグ：Black Beauty

Black Beauty (3)

(3) Birtwick Park

Early in May a man came from Squire Gordon's to take me away to the Hall.

There I was taken into a big stable which had four good stalls, and a swinging window which opened into the yard.

In the next stall to me was a pony called Merrylegs, which the children used to ride.
He was a favourite with everyone , and he and I soon became great friends.

There was a stable boy called James Howard, and the coachman's name was John Manly.

He had a wife and one little child and they lived in the coachman's cottage, very near to the stables.

The next day he took me to my new master, so that he could try me out.

I found that Squire Gordon was a very good rider, and kind to his horse as well.

When we came home, his lady was at the Hall door to greet us.

" Well, my dear, " she said, " how do you like him ? "

" He has a fine spirit, " he replied.
" What shall we call him ? "

She looked up at me.
" He realy is a beauty, and he has such a sweet, good-tempered face and such a fine intelligent eyeーhow about " Black Beauty " ? "

" Black Beautyーwhy yes, that shall be his name. "

And so it was.

(3/25)  

Black Beauty (4)

(4) Ginger

Also in our stable was a chestnut mare called Ginger.

※chestnut mare　じゃじゃ馬娘

Although she was rather bad-tempered, we grew quite friendly.

Sometimes we went out together in double harness, and then we talked to each other.

She wanted to know all about my early life and I told her.

Then she told me about her life, and it was very different from mine.

No one had ever been kind to Ginger.

After she had been broken in, she was sent to London to a fashonable gentleman, as one of matchng pair.

" There I was driven with a bearing rein,  " she said, " and I realy hate it. I like to toss my head about and hold it as high as any horse.
But just imagine, if you tossed your head up high and had to hold it there for hours on end !
That's what happens with a bearing rein. " 

※bearing rein 馬の頭部を望みの位置に保つよう考案された手綱 

" I grew more and more iritable.
One day, just as they were straining my head up with that rein, I began to plunge and kick with all my maight.
That was the end of that place !
I was sold and went back to the country.
Alas, the groom at new place was rough, so I bit him.
I was sold again and came here not long before you did.
It's better here, of course, but for how long ? "

As it turned out, kindness was all Ginger needed.

Her bad temper slowly died and she became quite gentle and happy at Birtwick Park.

(4/25)  

Black Beauty (5)

(5) A stormy day

One late autumn day, my master and John had to go on a long journey on business.

I was put into the dog-cart, which I always enjoyed.

We went along merrily until we came to a low wooden bridge.

The river banks were rather high, and the bridge, instead of rising in the middle, went across straight and level.

That meant that if the river was full, the water would be nearly up to the wooden planks.

Master had to pay at the toll-gate before wecould cross.

The man there said that the river was rising fast, and he feared it would be a bad night.

We started for home late in the afternoon.

By then the wind was blowing so hard that a big tree crashed to the ground beside the road.

I heard the master say to John he had never been out in such a storm.

(5/25) 

Black Beauty (6)

It was very nearly dark by the time we got back to the bridge.

We could just see that the water was over the middle of it, but as that happened sometimes when the river was high, master did not stop.

We were going along at a good pace, but the moment my feet touched the first part of the bridge, I knew there was something wrong.

I did not dare to go forward, so I stopped dead.

" There's something wrong sir, " said John.



He sprang out of the dog-cart and tried to lead me forward.
" Come on, Beauty, what's the matter ? "

Just then the man at the toll-gate on the other side ran out of the house, waving a torch about and shouting at the top of his voice.

" What's the matter ? " shouted my master.

" The bridge is broken in the middle and part of it is carried away. You can't cross. "

" Thank God ! " said my master.

(6/25)     

Black Beauty (7)

" You Beauty ! " said John, and took the bridle and gently turned me round to the right-hand road by the riverside.

The next bridge was much further up the river, and we had a long way to go.

At last we came home to the Hall.

As we came up, mistress ran out saying, " Are you really safe, my dear ? Oh !  I have been so anxious. Have you had an accident ? "

" No, my dear. But if your Black Beauty had not been wiser than we were, we should all have been carrried down the river at the wooden bridge. "

Then John took me to the stable.

Oh, what a good supper he gave me that night.ーa good bran mash and some crushed beans with my oats ー and  such a thick bed of straw !

I was glad of it, for I was tired.

(7/25)   

Black Beauty (8)

(6) The fire

My master and mistress decided one day to visit soe friends who lived about forty-six miles away.

James Haward, the stable boy was to drive them.
He was leaving us shortly to go to a better job, and needed the practice in driving.

The first day we travelled thrty-two miles.
There were long neavy hills, but James drove so carefully and thoughtfully that Jinger and I were not at all harassed.

Just as the sun was going down, we reached the town where we were spentd the night.

We stopped at a big hotel, which was in the Market place.

We drove under an archway into a long yard, and two astlers came to take us to our stalls in a long stable.

(8/25)
(The fire 1/5)       

Black beauty (9)

Later on in the evening, a traveller's horse was brought in by one of the ostlers.

While he was cleaning hm, a young man with a pipe in his mouth came into stable for a gossip.

" I say, Towler, " said the ostler, " just run up the ladder into the loft and put some hay down into this horse's rack, will you ? Only put your pipe down first ! "

" All right, " said the other.

A few moments later I heard him step across the floor overhead and put down the hay.

Then James came in for a last look at us before he went to bed.

Whe he left,the door was locked and we were left alone.

(9/25)
(the fire 2/5)     

Black Beauty (10)

I don't know what time of night it was, but I woke up feeling very uncomfortable.

The stable seemed full of smoke and I could hardly breathe.

I heard Ginger coughing and the other horses seemed restless.
Some were pulling at their halters, others were stamping.

I listened and heard a soft rushing noise, and a low crackling and snapping.
There was something so srange about it that it made me remble all over.

At last Dick Towler burst into the stable with a lantern, and began to untie the horses, to lead them out.

He seemed so frightened himself that he frightened us as well. and none of us would go with him.

He tried us all in turn, then left the stable.

I saw a red light flickerng on the wall, and heard a roaring noise.
Then there was a cry of " Fire " outside.

(10/25)
(the fire 3/5) 

Black Beauty (11)

The next thing I heard was James's voice, quite and cheerly, as it always was.

"Come on , Beauty, we'll soon be out of here."

He took the scarf off his neck, and tied it lightly over my eyes, and patting and coaxing, he led me out of the stable.

Safe in the yard, he slipped the scarf off my eyes and shouted, " Here, somebody ! Take this horse while I go back for another."

A tall broad man stepped forward and took me, and James ran back into the stable.

I set up a shrill whinny as I saw him go.

Ginger told me aferward that whinny was the best thing I could have done for her.
Had she not heard me outside, she would never have had the courage to come out.
 
(11/25)
(the fire 4/5)    

タグ：Black Beauty

Black Beauty (12)

There was much confusion in the yard as the horses were brought out of other stables.

I kept my eye fixed on the stable door, where the smoke poured out thicker than ever, and I could see flashes of red light.

The next moment I gave a loud joyful neighー there was James coming through the smoke, leading Ginger.

She was coughing violently and he was unable to speak.

Suddenly there came a sound of galloping feet and loud rumbling wheels.

Two horses dashed into the yard with a heavy fire engine behind them, and the fireman leaped to the ground.

There was no need to ask where the fire wasー it rose in a great blaze from the roof.

Next day, everyone was wodering how the fire had started.

At last an ostler remembered that Dick Towler had been smoking a pipe when he came into the stable.

Dick said that he had put his pipe down, but no one believed him.

Pipes were never allowed in the stable at Birtwick Park, and I thought it ought to be the rule everywhere. 

(12/25)
(the fire 5/5)

Black Beauty (13)

(7) Joe Green

After that terrible night, it was good to get home to Birtwick Park.

John was equally glad to see us, and had a good deal of praise for the courage James had shown at the fire.

Before he and James left us for the night, james said, " who is coming in my place ? "

" Little Goe Green at the lodge, " said John.
" He is small, but he is quick,and willing and kindhearted, too. "

The next day Joe came to the stables to learn all he could before James left.

He learned to sweep the stable and bring in the new straw and hay.
He began to clean the harness, and helped to wash the carriage.

He was too small tto groom Ginger and me, so James taught him on Merrylegs.

He was a nice little fellow, and always came whistling to his work.

Merrylegs was a good deal put out at being ' mauled about ' as he said, ' by a boy  who knew  nothing. '

Towards the end of the second week however, he told me confidentially that he thought the boy would turn out well.

At last the day came when James had to leave us.
He wasn't very happy about it, for he looked quite downhearted that morning.

John tried to cheer him up, but everyone was sorry to lose James.

(13/25)

う～ん、いけないかも、おまけ。   

これは、比較的発声がゆっくりめで、聴きとりやすいですね。

Back Beauty (14)

(8) Going for the doctor

Not long after James had left, I was awakened suddenly in the night by the stable bell ringing loudly.

Then john came in, saying, " Wake up, Beauty, you must go fast now, if ever you did. The mistress is ill and we must go for the doctor. "

We went like a wind, and the church clock struck three as we drew up at Doctor White's door.

John knocked at the door like thunder.

A window was thrown up, and Doctor White put his head out and said, " What do you want ? "

" Mrs Gordon is very ill, sir. Master wants you to go at once, he thinks she will die if you cannot get there. "

(14/25)
(Going for the doctor 1/3)  

Black Beauty (15)

Doctor White was soon at the door.

" The worst of it is, " he said, " my horse has been out all day and is quite done up. What is to be done ? Can I have youe horse ? "

" he has came at a gallop nearly all the way sir, but I think my master would not be against it if you think fit, sir. "

" All right, " said the doctor.
" I wil soon be ready. "

The way back seemed long, but I did my best.

I was glad to get home.
My legs shook under me, and I could only stand and pant.

I had not a dry hair on my body, the water ran down my legs, and i steamed all over.

For the next few days I was very ill, and Mr Bond the horse doctor came every day.

John would get up two or three times in the night to come to me.

My master often came to see me, too.

" My poor beauty, " he said one day.
" You saved your mistress's life ! "

I was very glad to hear that, for it seems the doctor had said if we had been a little longer it would have been too late.

I don't know how long I was ill, but I thought I was going to die, and I believe they all thought so, too.

(15/25) 
(Going for the doctor 2/3)  

Black Beauty (16)

When I grew well again, I found that sad changes were about to happen.

We heard from time to time that our mistress was ill.

Then we heard that she must go to a warm country for two or three years.

The master began immediately to make arrangements for leaving England.

We used to hear it talked about in our stable; indeed nothing else was talked about.

John went about his work silent and sad, and Jeo scarecely whistled.

At last the day came when we took our master and mistress to the station.

As the train glided away, John came back.

" We shall never see her again, " he said.
" Never. "

He took the reins, mounted the box, and with Jeo, drove slowly homeーbut it would not be home to us from now on.
 
(16/25)
(Going for the doctor 3/3)   

Back Beauty (17)

(9) Earlshall

Next morning Jeo took Merrylegs to the Vicarage, for he had been given to the Vicar.

Then Jeo took Ginger and me to Earlshall Park, where we were to live.

Mr York ws our new coachman there.
He called a groom to take us to a light airy stable.



In a short while John and Mr York came in to see us.

John said, " I had better mention that we have never used the beasring rein with either of these horses. "

" Well, " said York, " if they come here, they will have to wear the bearing rein. My lady has to have style, and her carriage horses have to be reined up tight. "

Then John came round to each of us to pat and speak to us for tha last time.
His voice sounded very sad.

I never saw him again.

(17/25)
(Earlshall 1/2)    

Blaqck Beauty (18)

Next afternoon we took my lady for a drive.

When she came out, she said, " York, you must put those horses' heads higherーthey're not fit to be seen. "

York got down and shortened the bearing rein by one hole, and I began to understandwhat I had heard.
It made it much harder to pull uphill.

As the days went by, the rein grew really short.

I was very unhappy, but Ginger really hated it.

One dreadful day came when she kicked York's hat off and reared so much that she fell down.

Afer this, Ginger was used for hunting and was never put into a carriage again.

I was given a new partner called Max, but we still had to suffer the tight rein.

In my old home, I always knew that John and my master were my friends.

Here at Earlshall, I had no friend.

York never tried to help over that rein.

Time went on, and I grew tired and depressed, hating my work.

But sadly, much worse was to come.

(18/25)
(Earlshall 2/2)

Black Beauty (19)

(10) Reuben Smith's downfall

When our master and his familywent to London in the spring, they left Reuben Smith in charge of the horses that stayed behind.

He was a very good man ーmost of the time.
He had one great fault howeverーthe love of drink, although he had promised never to touch another drop.

just before the family was due to return, Smith had to go up to town and chose me for a journey.

On the way there, he was his usual thughtful self.

In town however, he began todrink, and it was late when we started back.

Suddenly,  he began  to gallop, harder and harder.
Sometimes he whipped me, although I was already going at full speed.

I had a loose shoe, and the speed we were going at loosened it still more.

It came off and I stumbled, falling on my knees.

Smith was flung off by my fall and lay groaning some distance away.

After  a while , he stopped groaning nad lay still.

At first it was thought that Reuben Smith's death was my fault.

Then my sore hoof was discovered, and everyone realised that Smith must have been drinking aqain.

Later, several people said that he had been drunk when we left town.

(19/25)
(Reuben Smith's downfall 1/2)     

Black Beauty (20)

As soon as my knees were ,ore or less healed, I was turned into a small meadow for a month or two.

Ginger was there too, and we were glad to see each other.

she said the she had been ruined by hard riding and they were going to see if rest would help.

We both felt that we were not what we had been.

One day the Earl came into the meadow, York with him.

The Earl seemed very annoyed as thay looked us over.

" What makes me most angry, " he said, " is that these horses of my old friend, who thought they would find a ggod home with me, are ruined.
The black one will have to br sold: I can't have knees like that in my stables.
See if you can find him a good home. "

And about a weak later, I was bought by the master of some livery stables, and left Earlshall.

I had become a job horse, which meant that I could be hired out to anyone who wished to drive me.

(20/25)
(Reuben Smith's downfall 2/2)

☆突然のお知らせ☆
突然ですが、残りが５章ありまして、２５回では完了しませんので、８回分を追加して、全３３回となる見込みです。
なにとぞ、よろしくお願い申し上げます。  

Black Beauty (21)

(11) Life as a job horse

Some of the people who wanted to hire me couldn't drive at all.

As I was good-tempered and gentle, I think I was more often let out to the bad drivers than some of the other horses, because I could be depended upon.

Of course, we sometimes came in for good driving.

One morning I was put into a light gig and taken to a house in Pultenry Street.

Two gentleman came out.
The tallerof them took the reins and I can remember even now how quitely he turned me round.

Then with a light feel of the rein drawing the whip gently across my back, we were off.

I arched my neck and set off at my best pace because I had someone behind me who knew how a good horse ought to be driven.

It seemed like old times again !

This gentleman took a great liking to me, and eventually I was sold to a friend of his who wanted a safe, pleasant horse for riding.

So that summer I was sold to Mr Barry, and I had yet another new master.

(21/25)
(Life as a job horse 1/3)

Black Beauty (22)

Black Beauty (22)

At the beginning this seemed a good change.

My groom was a man called Filcher.

He had once been a ostler at a hotel, but now he grew fruit and vegetables for the market.

His wife bred and fattened chickens  and rabbit for sale.

Filcher kept the stable clean and airy and he groomed me throughly.
He was never otherwise than gentle and he certainly knew his job.

When I first went there, I heard the master give the order for foodーthe best hay, with oats and beans, and bran with rye grass as Filcher thought necessary.

I was going to be well off !

After a while, however, I found I wasn't getting anything like the amount of oats I should have had.
I grew tired and unhappy.

(22/33)
(Life as a job horse 2/3)  

Black Beauty (23)

A farmer friend of Mr Barry noticed this one day.

He looked me over more carefully.

Then he said to my master, " I don't know who gets the oats you pay for, but it certainly isn't your horse !
I suggest you look into what's happening in your stable.
Some scoundrels are mean enough to rob a dumb beast of his food. "

When Mr Barry took his advice, the police discovered that my oats were being fed to Mrs Filcher's rabbits !

Had I been able to speak, I could have told him that.

I had seen Filcher's little boy come every morning to collect the oats that his father stole.

Filcher went to prison for two months, and in a few days' time I had a new groom.

(23/33)
(Life as a job horse 3/3) 

Black Beauty (24)

(12)The humbug

Alfred Smirk was a tall, good-looking fellow; but if ever there was a humbug in the shape of groom, he was that man.

He was very civil to me, and never used me ill.

In fact, he did a great deal of stroking and patting when his master was there to see it.

He thought himself very handsome and spent a great deal of time in front of a little mirror in the harness-room.

Everyone thought he was a very nice young man, but I should say he was the laziest, most conceited fellow I ever come near.

Of course, it was a great thing not to be ill-usued, but then a horse wants more than that.

I had a loose box and might have been very comfortable if Smirk had not been too lazy to clean it out and take the damp straw away.

And as to cleaning my feet, or looking to my shoes or grooming me properly, he never did those thing at all.

(24/33)
(The humbug 1/2) 
  

Black Beauty (25)

Because Iwas standing on damp straw most of the day, my feet grew unhealthy and tender.

When I stumbled twice in an afternoon, my master took me to the farrier to see what was wrong.

" Your horse has got the Thrush, and badly too, " said the farrier.
※farrier 馬の医者
※thrush 皮膚感染症（カンジダ症）

" His feet are very tender.
We find this sort of thing in dirty stables where the litter isn't cleaned out.
His feet will take a while to heal properly. "

He cleaned and treated each hoof in turn, ad then he ordered all the litter to be taken out of my box day by day and the floor kept very clean.

It wasn't all that long before my feet were all right again.

Mr Barry however was so much disgusted at being twice deceived by his grooms that he decided to give up keeping a horse altogether.

I was sold once moreー and this time into a very different kind of life.

My new master was a cab driver called Jeremiah Barker, usually known as Jerry.

(25/33)
(The humbug 2/2)  

Black Beauty (26)

(13)A London cab horse

That evening, I new I was going to be happy there, Jerry's wife Polly came to see me and make friends, along with their eight-year-old daughter Dolly.

Their son Harry, who was twelve, had already been helping to groom me and their second horse, Captain.

Polly and her little girl made much of me, and it was a great treat to be petted again, and talked to in a gentle voice.

Polly thought I was very handsome and much too good to be a cab horse, if it were not for my broken knees.

" We don't know whose fault that was, " said Jerry.
" I shall give him the benefit of the doubt, for I never drove a firmer, neater stepper. "



(26/33) 
(A London cab horse 1/2)

Black Beauty (27)

The first week of my life as a cab horse was very trying.

I was anxious and harassed by the noise and hurry of London traffic.

But I soon found that Jerry was as good a driver as I had ever known.

What was better, he took as much thought for his horses as he did for himself. 

He kept us very clean,and always gave us plenty of food.

But the best thing about my time there was our Sundays for rest. 

We worked so hard in the week that I do not think we could have kept it up otherwise.

It also gave us time to enjoy each other's company.

One lady wanted us to take her to church every Sunday, but Jerry was firm about it.

He said working seven days a week was too much for his horses as well as himself.

When he refused, the lady was quite cross at first, but then she saw that he was right.

Jerry didn't lose her custom over it.

(27/33)
(A London cab horse 2/2)

Black Beauty (28)

(14) Jerry's New Year


Christmas and the New Year are very merry times for some people.

But for cabmen and thier horses it is no holiday.

There are so many parties and balls that the work is hard and often late.

Sometimes driver and horse have to wait for hours, shivering with cold, while the cheery people inside are dancing away to the music.

Jerry used me for most of evening work, and we had a great deal of work in Christmas week.

Jerry had a bad enough, and standing around in the cold made it worse.

One night when we got home it was so bad that he couldn't speak.

He gave me a rub down as usual, although he could hardly get his breath.

Then Polly brought me a warm meal, and they locked the door for the night.

(28/33)
(Jerry's New Year 1/2)
遅くなりました、すみません。 

Black Beauty (29)

Next day was very strange: it was just like a Sunday.

Harry came in to clean  and feed us, and to aweep out the stalls, but he didn't whistle or sing as he usually did.

Two days passed like that, and there was great trouble indoors, because Jerry was dangerously ill.

He grew better at last, but the family was still in trouble.

The doctor ha said that Jerry must never go back to the cab work again, if he wished to live to be an old man.

After a while, Jerry managed to find a job as a coachman.

A cottage with a garden went with the job, and the family was very pleased.

As for me, I was heavy-hearted as I was led away to a sale once more.

(29/33)
(Jerry's New Year 2/2)  

Black Beauty (30)

(15)Farmer Thoroughgood and his grandson

As I waited unhappily at the sale, I noticed a man who looked like a gentleman farmer.

I saw his eye rest on me, and I pricked my ears and looked at him.

" There's a horse. Willie, that hass known better days, " he said to a young boy with him.

He gave me a kind pat as he spoke.

" Poor old fellow ! Couldn't you buy him and make him strong again, Grandpapa ? " asked the boy, stroking my face.
" Like you did with Ladybird ? "

The farmer laughed.
" I can't buy every old horse and make him strong again."

AS he spoke, he slowly felt my legs,
" Just trot him out, will you ? " he said to the man who had brought me to the sale.

I arched my poor thin neck, raised my tail a little and threw out my legs as well as I could, for they were very stiff.

" All right, I'll take him, " said the farmer, whose name was Mr Throughgood.

From now on, I had good food, perfect rest, soft turf and gentle exercise.
I began to feel quite young again.

Oner day in March, Mr Throughgood tried me out in the light carriage.

My legs were no longer stiff, and I did the work with perfect ease.

Mr Throughgood was pleased.
He said to Willie, " Now we must look for a quite place for him, where he will be well looked after. " 

(30/33) 
(Farmaer Throughgood and his grandson 1/4)  
最終章です。